CMYK to Pantone: How to Find PMS Colors Close to YK Colors

Introduction

Colors are the most interesting and scary things in the world. They become very important for printing or designing things. For example, a graphic artist may be trying to work on a branding job, while on the other hand, a marketer could be aiming at having uniform promotional materials. This is where it gets confusing because of CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/) colors and theirone Matching System (PMS) counterparts. So this article will show you how you can turn CMYK colors into Pantone shades; this way you can find that perfect PMS color for your next project.

Understanding CMYK and Pantone

What is CMYK?

CMYK is primarily used as a way of printing colors. So it involves combining four different inks namely:

• Cyan,
• Magenta,
• Yellow,
• and Black (Key).

When these are mixed together they produce different colors but are subtractive models meaning mixing them might sometimes prove unpredictable due to paper color ink absorption and also the techniques used when printing.

What is Pantone?

The designers and manufacturers use the standardized color reproduction system which is called The Pantone Matching System that allows them to communicate accurate color regardless of what media is being used.

Different printing processes and media can be easily identified by their respective Pantone colors, which have unique codes that ensure this. The PMS contains thousands of colors that designers and producers find to be an important resource.

Online Tools Plus Software Applications

There are different online tools as well as software programs that are available to help in converting CMYK to Pantone.

Conclusion

In case you are confused by colors while designing or printing, do not worry. By expanding your knowledge of the Pantone Matching System and using the resources available, you will be in a better position to choose perfect color schemes for your work. Do you have any questions or experiences in dealing with color conversion? Comment below!

Accordingly, “The right choice of color can make an average project look absolutely stunning.” But what if you were told different?

Learn more about color theory and print production from Adobe’s Color Theory Resources.

If there is anything else I can help with on this subject matter or any inquiries about matching colors, please feel free to contact me at anytime.